QC 75 
.M65 
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1 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 




! UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




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&he Author, 




THE PIONEER. 



FORCE 



BY 



SIMEON MILLS. 




W. J. PARK & SONS, 

m^:diso:n\ Wisconsin, 

1893. 



^ 



r>> 






COPYRIGHTED 

BY SIMEON MILLS, 

1B93. 



# " r \*|pr 




NOTE. 



Most books have a preface at the 
beginning, where it is seldom read; this 
book has its preface appended, where 
it will be seldom seen. 




FORCE. 



In the course of human progress, 
there came down from the twilight of 
the dark ages, in the science and prac- 
tice of law, such complications, as tres- 
pass, trespass on the case, trespass on 
the case on promises, debt, assumpsit, 
replevin, trover and tort; with declara- 
tions, complaints, answers, demurrers, 
replications, rejoinders, rebutters, sur- 
rebutters, and various other forms of 
pleading, until the whole system had 
become so intricate, that the most 
learned and astute oractitioner was 



8 
sometimes at his wit's end, and often 
found himself out of court. 

About forty-five years ago, some 
genius conceiving the idea of combin- 
ing common sense with law, succeeded 
in devising and introducing The Code, 
by which the whole system of pleadings 
was simplified, and reduced to actions 
at law, and actions in equity, which so 
revolutionized the practice as to make 
it quite intelligible, at least to those 
learned in the law. 

In like manner there has come down 
from the remote past, in the science 
and study of physics, such complications 
and divisions of force, as energy, mo- 
mentum, power, motion, velocity, and 
the relation, correlation, and conserva- 



9 
tion of forces, of the kenetic, vibratory, 
molecular, resultant, radiant, available, 
convertible, accelerated and potential 
varieties, changing and interchanging 
from cne to the other, and rechanging 
to something else; until it may well be 
doubted whether the most learned and 
skillful scientist does not at times find 
himself a little dazed, out of court, and 
almost reacly to admit, that a code 
might improve the study of physics, as 
well as the practice of law. 

With this introduction of the subject, 
I will proceed with the argument. 



IO 



II. 

Science teaches us that force is that 

which acts upon matter, so as to change 

its form or condition; and that all vis- 
ible changes in the universe result from 

the action of force upon matter. 

The question naturally arises then, 
how, in what way, does force act upon 
matter, so as to change its form and 
condition? 

To answer this question correctly, 
and intelligibly, although probably as 
never before answered, is the object of 
this paper. 

In the last text book of physics pub- 
lished in Appleton's series in 1891, the 
learned author makes a broad distinc- 



1 1 

tion between force and energy, repre- 
senting force as resulting from energy 
doing work, and then says (page 44), 
"A force, it will be seen, can have no 
capacity to do work/' 

Mr. Webster makes force and energy 
synonymous terms, meaning one and 
the same thing; I shall therefore follow 
Mr. Webster and use the term jorce, 
to express everything capable of chang- 
ing the form or condition of matter. 

Science also teaches us, that force is 
as indestructible as matter, and that no 
greater amount of force exists in the 
universe at one time, than at some 
other time. 

It is evident then, that force does not 
result from conversion of something 



12 

else into force; and it must be equally 
evident and follow as a matter of 
course, that one force cannot be con- 
verted into or changed to some other 
force, as taught in text books, unless it 
so be that two or more forces unite to 
create a new force, as two or more 
kinds of matter unite to create a new 
kind of matter. 

Nature stores up her forces in matter, 
in every conceivable form and condi- 
tion in which matter is found to exist; 
so that every particle of matter be- 
comes the store-house of some passive 
or dormant force. 

Force is active, when it imparts mo- 
tion to matter; it is passive, when stored 
up and lying dormant in matter. 



13 

Force does no work, except when it 
is active, as for example: electricity 
when stored up and lying dormant in 
the battery, is as passive and harmless 
as the lamb; but when liberated, it be- 
comes the uncaged lion, trundling street 
cars, and whirling electric engines. 

Electricity while it is a most power- 
ful and tyrannical master, can be made 
a most docile and obedient slave. 

Text books of physics, give this as 
the law governing force; " that when- 
ever any amount of force appears at 
one place, an exactly equivalent amount 
of force disappears at some other place 
at the same time." 

Is this law sound, and is it in fact the 
law governing force? If it is, it should 



stand; but if found to be untrue or 
defective, it should be revised, amended 
or repealed. 

It has been well said, that theories 
are guesses at truth, but that experi- 
ments prove the truth or the falsity of 
the guess. 

Now let us see how this law will 
stand the test of experiment. 

An immense amount of force can be 
stored up and lie dormant and harm- 
less in a barrel of gunpowder, but when 
the active force of a single spark is 
applied to it, the force thus stored up is 
instantly liberated, and makes its ap- 
pearance millions of times greater than 
the amouut of force that has disap- 
peared by the extinguishment of the 



i5 
single spark. 

Force makes its appearance when it 
is liberated; it disappears, when it is 
stored up in matter. 

It seems conclusive then, that to 
make visible a great amount of force 
at one place, does not require the dis- 
appearance of an equivalent amount of 
force at some other place at the same 
time; but that this law is based upon 
false pre?nises 1 is unsound aitd should 
therefore be eliminated from text books. 

When force that has been stored up 
and lying dormant in matter is liber- 
ated in one place, its effect becomes 
visible in changing the form or condi- 
tion of matter in some other place. 

Thus when the force is liberated 



i6 
from the cartridge placed in the gun, 
its effect becomes visible in the destruc- 
tive work of the projectile thrown from 
the gun. 

When force that has been stored up 
and lying dormant for ages, in the fuel 
placed under the boiler of the locomo- 
tive, is liberated, its effect becomes 
visible in the working engine, and 
moving cars. 

The different forces are not stored 
up singly, but many or all existing 
forces are stored up at the same time 
in great abundance, in exceedingly 
small quantities of matter. 

For example — from the food di- 
gested in the stomach, all of the forces 
are liberated that are necessarv to 



17 

sustain life, promote the growth and 
carry on the functions of the animal 
economy; while large amounts are 
stored up in the muscles of the living 
body for future use; and when liber- 
ated from the arm of the blacksmith, 
manifests itself in the blows that fall 
upjn the heated iron, and in the sound 
waves that salute the ear; and thus the 
form and condition of matter is 
changed. 

The force that is liberated from the 
human hand when winding a watch, is 
stored up in the spring of the watch; 
and as again liberated, its work be- 
comes visible in the moving bands 
upon the dial. 

The force thus liberated from the 



i8 
hand, and stored in the spring, is un- 
doubtedly electricity. 

in. 

Force being indestructible as matter, 
it must be elementary like matter, and 
no conversion of matter into force can 
take place, nor can one force be con- 
verted into some other force, like the 
transformation of muscular force into 
heat force described in text books; and 
hence the only change that does or can 
take place, is the process of storing up 
and liberating forces that already exist, 
and in this way they so act upon mat- 
ter as to change its form or condition. 

Indeed, the learned author of the 
text book above quoted, seems at one 



19 
time to have entertained some faint 
idea, some vague conception of this 
storing and liberating process of the 
forces, when he says (page 40) " we 
must remember then, that nothing but 
energy can be the cause of energy/' 

He does not, however, attempt to ex- 
plain, or in any manner illustrate his 
idea, by showing how one energy can 
be the cause of some other energy; but 
leaves the student in the dark, to work 
out the problem in his own way, as best 
he can. 

Hence I will illustrate my conception 
of his idea, th^t energy can be the 
cause of energy, in this way: the active 
force of a single blow from a hammer, 
will liberate the dormant force 'stored up 



20 

in a ton of dynamite, quite sufficient to 
wreck the most substantial structure 
built by man. 

To cause, is to create; but the energy 
of the blovv from the hammer did not 
create, nor did it cause the great amount 
of energy or force that was evolved by 
the explosion of the dynomiate; but it 
simply liberated forces already existing, 
and which had been accumulated in an 
immense amount, and stored up in a 
very small quantity of matter. When 
thus liberated, the force stored in the 
dynamite was free to act, and did not 
require any other energy to cause its 
action. 

Energy does not act upon energy; it 
acts only upon matter, and cannot there- 



21 

fore be the cause of energy, except by 
liberating the dormant energy, stored in 
the matter acted upon. 

This experiment seems to illustrate 
the author's idea, "that nothing but en- 
ergy can be the cause of energy," so 
plain that even a freshman in physics 
can comprehend it. 

A dormant force can only be libera- 
ted by an active force, and when so lib- 
erated, does not require the aid of some 

other force or energy to give it motion; 
but instantly of its own impulse, pro- 
ceeds to change the form or condition 
of matter. 




IV. 

The various forces that we have to 

deal with, are properly divisible into 
three classes, viz: mechanical forces, vi- 
tal forces, and mental forces; and be- 
sides what come within these classes, 
none will be found to exist since nature in 
her frugal economy, has hardly created 
two forces to do the same work. 

The mechanical forces are intermit- 
tent, and at times appear to be some- 
what irregular and erratic in character 
and action; but are nevertheless easily 
made subject to human control, are 
readily stored up in various forms and 
conditions of matter; made dormant or 
active at pleasure, and thus becomes 



23 

obedient and useful servants of man, for 
economic and mechanical purpcses. 

This class of forces, comprehend light, 
heat, electricity, magnetism and com- 
bustion. 

All of these forces are stored up in 
matter, and that some of them at least 
occupy space, although not yet known 
to have weight, is a fact so palpable to 
the common understanding, that it must 
eventually be recognised by science. 

Light displays its mechanical energy 
by the peculiar mechanical work it ac- 
complishes in the Photographer's gal- 
lery; but with this exception, no me- 
chanical power can be obtained from 
any of these forces, except by liberating 
it, from its storhouse of matter. 



24 

Combastio7i is one of the jorces of na- 
ture, stored tip and dormant in certain 
conditions of matter, and when liberated \ 
it so acts upon matter, as to cause a 
change from its organic form, to its ele- 
mentary condition, fitted and prepared 
to again go into the creation and growth, 
of new forms of life and beauty. 

When elementary matter has once so 
united, as to create organic or com- 
pound bodies, in any of their various 
forms and conditions, there is no force 
or power known to man, that can again 
restore or reduce them to elementary 
matter, except combustion. 

By this force, the equilibrium between 
elementary and organic matter is pre- 
served. 



25 

From the very beginning, combus- 
tion seems to have been the paradoxical 
enigma of science; and it is not likely to 
be otherwise, until scientists are pre- 
pared to recognize the important truth, 
that combustion is one of the forces of 
nature, counteracting cohesion, by taking 
apart and liberating the elementary ??iat- 
ter, which that forces has bound together. 

Electricity which now plays such an 
important part amongst the mechanical 
forces, is divisible into light, heat and 
magnetism. 

Primary colors could not result from 
the dispersion of light, if they did not 
first unite to create light; nor could 
light, heat and magnetism result from 
the decomposition of electricity, if they 



26 

had not first united in its creation. 
It may therefore be regarded as not 
only possible, but even probable, that 
electricity is not an original elementary 
force, but that it is created by the union 
of light, heat and magnetism; the in- 
tense mechanical energy of these subtle 
forces, so uniting as to create this grand 
propidsive force of the universe. 

The vital forces are constant and un- 
changing, never varying in character 
and action, and no mechanical device, 
or invention of human skill or ingenu- 
ity, can increase or diminish the in- 
tensity of their action, or vary their 
course so much as the breadth of a 
hair. 



27 

This class includes attraction, grav- 
ity, affinity, cohesion and repulsion. 

These forces are all stored up in mat- 
ter, but none of them, with the excep- 
tion of gravity, can be utilized for me- 
chanical purposes; and that not by 
liberating it from the matter in which 
it is stored, as is the process in utilizing 
the mechanical forces, but by massing 
such matter so as to obtain the amount 
of pressure or weight, that will accomp- 
lish the work required. 

The mental forces comprehend mind, 
memory, reason and judgment, all of 
which are stored up in the human brain, 
and when liberated, are in part stored 
in other brains, and in part in the 
printed pages of countless books, that 



28 

constitute the learning and wisdom of 
the world. 

v. 

Matter and force constitute the sum 
total of the universe; they act and re- 
act upon each other, and not upon any 
imaginary something else. 

They come together and unite, by 
virtue of thegreat affinity they have for 
each other; and zvhen force is being stored 
up in matter, elementary matter is tak- 
ing on the form and condition of organic 
bodies; but when force is being liberated 
from matter, organic bodies are being 
restored to their elementary condition. 

In this way, force so acts upon matter, 
as to change its form and condition. 

Thus it will be seen that by adopting 



29 

the theory of storing and liberating 
forces, all of their bewildering complica- 
tions with their interchanging charac- 
teristics, described in text books, but 
not half explained or understood, will 
be simplified and reduced to A CODE; 
by which all of the changes that take 
place in matter and force, are fully ex- 
plained, and clearly defined in this 
one sentence: 

Force exists in but two conditions, 
ACTIVE when changing the form and 
condition of matter; PASSIVE when 
stored cp and dormant in matter. 



♦ 



APPENDED PREFACE. 

This paper was read before the Wis- 
consin Academy of Science, Arts and 
Letters, at its annual meeting in De- 
cember, 1892; but having been request- 
ed by some of its most active, energetic 
and zealous workers, not to state that 
fact upon the title page of this book, 
lest the Academy should suffer re- 
proach; I have most cheerfully 
complied with the request, and state 
the fact here, where the proper expla- 
nation can be made, exculpating the 
Academy from any responsibility for 
this or any other paper that I have 
heretofore read, or may hereafter read, 
at any of its meetings, unless they ap- 
pear in its published proceedings. 

It would seem from this request, that 
it is not the purpose of the Academy 



3i 
under its present management, to con- 
sider or investigate any new idea, or ex- 
pression of thought, outside of the 
well worn channels, but to expend its 
best energies in threshing over the old 
straw, that has not yielded a new grain 
of truth in the past generation. 

Suppose some of the ideas advanced 
in this paper are not scientifically speak- 
ing, correct — what of it? Has the good 
name and fair fame of the Academy 
been seriously impaired; or has science 
been paralyzed thereby? 

It is comparatively but a short time 
in the history of the world, since a man 
of genius was sentenced to death for 
suggesting the cranky idea, that the 
earth was round, and turned over every 
day. That sentence was pronounced 
by the embodyment of all learning, 
wisdom and knowledge, both human 



32 

and divine, and yet the earth continued 
to turn over; and it may so be, in the 
economy of nature, the process of stor- 
ing and liberating forces will still go 
on, notwithstanding the Wisconsin 
Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters , 
is not yet prepared to admit it. 

Suppose there should still be some 
unknown important ,truth, yet hidden 
away in the vast domain of scientific re- 
search, how is it to be discovered? 

Evidently not by the Wisconsin Acad- 
emy, for it effectually ignores and bars 
out all new ideas; and certainly not by 
studying text books, for they may be 
searched with a microscope, and noth- 
ing will be discovered that was known 
before the books were made. 

It may yet dawn upon the enlightened 
wisdom of to-day, that there are some 
things that the Creator of the Universe 



33 
does not and cannot do, consistent with 
any rational system of economy, human 
or divine. 

For exarriple, He does not and can- 
not create trees, one hundred years old 
in a single day; no more does He create 
non-combustible water, out of combtistible 
gases; or carry on the most brilliant 
and important works of creation, 
through the agency of imaginary vibra- 
tions, of an ether yet to be created. 




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